HEALTH: Four tips on how to reduce pot belly

Fat around your belly can be annoying, especially when you’re approaching a function that you want to dress up for and all your clothes fit a little too tight around the waist. If you need tips on how to reduce pot belly read on.

The obsession of pop culture with a slim waist does not help either, so fat around your waist area could also mean lower self esteem and poor body image.

Yet the above challenges are nothing compared to what visceral fat could do to your health.

This excess fat could lead to type 2 diabetes and other conditions such as hypertension.

To cut the surface and visceral fat, follow these easy steps:

1. Reduce sugar intake

Excess sugar is unhealthy. Too much sugar floods the liver with fructose, which it converts into fat.

This fat is then deposited around your waist, giving you that muffin-top look you get when you put on those tight jeans.

The excess fat in the liver also leads to insulin resistance that could lead to type 2 diabetes, even in young people.

Avoid sugary carbonated drinks, studies show that sugary drinks contribute to more than 50 per cent increased risk to obesity.

2. Increase protein intake

Eat a well balanced diet but increase the protein in your diet. Good proteins include plant proteins, lean red meat, fish, including fatty fish, and lean white meat.

Proteins have been known to reduce cravings and will not be converted into fat by the body.

Instead, proteins build muscles and help you keep the unwanted weight off incase you abandon your weight loss efforts.

Be keen not to take processed proteins such as bacon, sausages, salami and other processed meats, some of these have too much fat.

3. Reduce refined carbohydrates

Reduce the amount of carbohydrates in the diet, this ensures the excess glucose and fructose is not converted to fat.

Carbohydrates are very important in our diet as they give us energy thus it is not advisable to cut carbs off completely from your diet, but too much carbohydrates result in excess fat, which is deposited around the abdomen and organs such as the liver and the heart.

Consume healthy carbohydrates foods such as whole meal, grains and other plant carbohydrates that are unrefined.

4. Regular resistance exercises

Eating well is not enough when it comes to losing belly fat, regular exercise will help give you the wasp waist and healthy, fit body you always desired.

Take part in aerobics and resistance exercises.

According to fitness experts, resistance training will give you toned abs as the muscles continue to tone even during resting.

Some resistance exercises include weights, push-ups, pull-ups and sit-ups.

Simple exercises that you can do without going to the gym include walking, swimming, running and skipping rope.

The benefits of exercise and balanced diet are undisputed when it comes to losing weight and toning the body. I hope this article was helpful.